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Military Programs

Developed to meet the needs and challenges of our service members, veterans, and their families, M-SPAN (Military Support Programs and Networks) is a comprehensive, collaborative initiative dedicated to military mental health. M-SPAN programs have been developed by faculty and staff from the University of Michigan Depression Center and Department of Psychiatry in collaboration with the Michigan Army National Guard. M-SPAN incorporates innovative approaches to outreach, overcoming stigma, research and evaluation, and the design and delivery of support programs for service members and military families.

Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) is a peer support program that connects student
veterans on campus with peer advisors at their schools who can provide support and link
them with resources to facilitate a smooth transition from the military to college, or help them
navigate other challenges they are facing.

Strong Military Families
This parenting group program is offered for military service members, their spouses or partners, and their children aged 0-8 years old. Strong Military Families provides a 10-week parent and child group experience designed to support and enhance the resilience of military families by creating opportunities for families to come together to learn, support one another, and grow in their ability to navigate the unique challenges they face.

HomeFront StrongAn 8-week resiliency group for military spouses or partners experiencing distress associated with deployment open to individuals at any point in the deployment cycle. HomeFront Strong focuses on building social support and positive relationships, learning new approaches to self-care, connecting to resources, and promoting resiliency and positive coping.

All of the intervention programs (Buddy-to-Buddy, Strong Military Families, HomeFront Strong) are being evaluated for effectiveness and to measure the impact of these services on the quality of life for service members and families.

The Conjoint Needs Assessment Study surveyed National Guard soldiers and family members about well-being, deployment experiences, mental health symptoms, substance use, physical and mental health related functioning, parenting and work functioning, treatment use, and other issues.

The National Summit on Military and Veteran Peer Programs in November 2016 brought together over 200 researchers, peer program leaders, veteran service organizations, military stakeholders, service providers, and funders representing 33 states. Highlights included the release of a RAND Research Brief on peer programs, powerful keynotes, and a diverse lineup of expert panels and facilitated small group discussions.

The inaugural National Research Summit on Reserve Component Military Families convened nearly 300 researchers, military leadership, policy makers, military family advocates, and clinicians from 30 states in Ann Arbor for two days in April 2013 to stimulate discussion and understanding of the latest research, effective mental health interventions, and dissemination strategies specific to the needs of National Guard and Reserve families.

M-SPAN’s inaugural summit on Michigan military family research in November 2011 brought together researchers and service providers to help frame a statewide military family research agenda and strengthen networks between individuals working in this field.